1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a container having an outflow arranged in the vicinity of the bottom and a device for preventing foaming, which is implemented as a vortex breaker mounted upstream of the outflow.
2. Description of the Related Art
Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for preventing foaming, which is implemented as a vortex breaker which can be mounted upstream from an outflow of a container.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a device for preventing foaming, which is implemented as a vortex breaker, wherein the vortex breaker can be mounted upstream from an outflow of a container and can be connected to the outflow.
The invention is applicable in particular in chemistry, biotechnology, and filtration technology.
During the recirculation of the concentrate in cross-flow filtration facilities in the recirculation containers, the product can foam up strongly, in particular in the case of protein-containing media, in conjunction with air. The filtration is impaired in this case by the introduction of air. Concentrating to a minimal recirculation volume is only possible with difficulty in practice in this case.
In particular with a low fill level of the recirculation container, a vortex (eddy) can arise in this case and a relatively large amount of air can be drawn into the medium.
A container having a vortex breaker is known from EP 2 294 001 B1. Undesired foaming is also to be prevented here.
For this purpose, a circular vortex breaker, for example, is arranged at a distance, which is spaced apart by a plurality of arms, to an outflow arranged on the bottom of a container.
The known device has the disadvantage, on the one hand, that it cannot optimally prevent eddies occurring in parallel to the bottom and, on the other hand, it can only be mounted later upstream of an outflow opening arranged in a container with difficulty.
The object of the present invention is therefore to further optimize undesired foaming occurring due to eddies in a container having an outflow arranged in the vicinity of the bottom and to enable a later installation of a device for preventing foaming in a container.
A further object of the invention is to specify a corresponding device and a method for the production thereof.
A vortex breaker is implemented as a vertical or nearly vertical wall arrangement (referred to as vertical wall arrangement hereafter), that is fastened in the outflow via a fixing arm protruding into the outflow.
The vertical wall arrangement reduces eddies transverse to the container bottom and foaming is optimally prevented. Due to only one fixing arm, that protrudes into the outflow, the device for preventing foaming can be introduced easily and in particular also later into a container and fastened on the outflow.
The outflow may be arranged laterally above the bottom, wherein the fixing arm has a vertical main wall on its end facing away from the outflow and wherein the vertical main flow has two vertical side wings, which are oriented away from one another, on its end facing away from the outflow. Due to the vertical side wings, the vortex breaker consists of a vertical wall arrangement, which is implemented similarly to a T-shape and results in a particularly low-foam result. In this case, the angles between the main wall and the side wings can be different and can deviate from 90°, for example, up to 45° and up to 135° (referred to as T-shaped hereafter).
One of the side wings may have a breakout toward the bottom. The breakout, which forms a type of window, contributes to complete or at least substantially complete emptying of the container.
The container may be a recirculation container of a cross-flow filtration facility.
The vertical main wall, in a T-shaped implementation, has two vertical side wings oriented away from one another, and the main wall merges into a fixing arm, which is fastenable with its free end in the outflow of the container.
The device has the above-described advantages and is easily fastenable in the outflow of the container in particular with the free end of the fixing arm.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, to arrange the fixing arm in a lateral outflow of the container, the fixing arm is oriented away in the horizontal direction at the end of the main wall facing away from the side wings, and has a catch lug, which can latch in corresponding formations of the outflow, in each case on opposing sides in the vertical direction. For mounting, the fixing arm is simply plugged into the outflow so that it latches. The fixing arm can fundamentally also be glued or also welded to the outflow.
The catch lugs may be formed by an arrowhead-shaped implementation of the free end of the fixing arm. Due to the arrowhead-shaped implementation of the free end, the fixing arm may be inserted particularly easily into the outflow.
The fixing arm may have a stepped stop on its end facing toward the main wall. The stepped stop contributes to the correct latching position.
A method also is provided and comprises the following steps:    a) cutting the vortex breaker, having a main wall, two side wings, and a fixing arm connected to the main wall, out of a flat plate and    b) folding out the side wings in opposing directions in each case into a final position arranged transversely to the main wall.
Due to the implementation of the vortex breaker from a flat plate, a spatially implemented vortex breaker results, which is nonetheless implemented in one piece and is easy to produce. The vortex breaker can obtain its three-dimensional contour in this case by hot forming or cold forming. Fundamentally, the vortex breaker can also be implemented from multiple parts, which are welded or glued to one another. It is also fundamentally possible to produce the vortex breaker by way of an injection molding method.
The vortex breaker through a container opening into the container interior and is plugged with one free end of the fixing arm into the outflow opening of the outflow and latched. In this case, the vortex breaker can be plugged into the outflow using a long-handled gripping tool in particular.
Further details of the invention result from the following description in detail and the appended drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated as examples.